Singapore 60s – The Definitive Collection 5-CD Box Set!
Two good friends of ours in Singapore alerted us to this 5-CD release yesterday and it really is a pleasant surprise!
100 songs from the 60s pop revolution in Singapore, including all the tracks from selected EP singles (on the first 3 CDs), meaning there are not only ONE song taken from a 7″, but ALL the songs and there are a hell lot of bands included – NAOMI & THE BOYS, THE THUNDERBIRDS, THE CYCLONES, THE CREECENDOS, SONNY BALA & THE MOONGLOWS, SIRLEY NAIR & THE SILVER STRINGS, BOBBY LAMBERT & THE DUKES and many, many more.
Released in May this year, this collection is a must-have for those who love the region’s unique 60s “garage” output; personally, that was the golden year of Malaysian & Singaporean guitar music and nothing comes near it in terms of its energy and passion.
I heard this is the culmination of all the hard work done by Singapore’s 60s music guru, Joseph C. Pereira (he contributed a bit of 60s tidbits for The Ricecooker’s post on The Strollers many moons ago). He’s also the author of The Legends of the Golden Venus book, detailing the 60s music scene in Singapore.
As I’m writing this down, I’m still waiting with bated breath for the box set to arrive at my house, so I haven’t had the chance to listen to it yet but from the feedback I heard from a friend of mine, apparently the collection is surely a must-have BUT there should have been more work done on it in terms of the audio – it is said thart there was either NO REMASTERING done or that the remastering was done by somebody who’s a guitar player; meaning the GUITARS ARE TOO LOUD and drowned other parts of the music!
Now, that’s a bummer but I have to check it out myself.
Another thing, there’s NOT a single track by the oft-forgotten non-English-singing 60s bands from Singapore. So this is another set back, I mean where is the great, utterly godly THE SWALLOWS? or THE IMPIAN BATEKS? and many-many more Boyan or Malay-singing bands from the day? I believe there should be another multiple-disc collection; this time with all these omitted bands included with all tracks lovingly remastered too! It just had to be done!
read more: mocamborainbow.blogspot.com
To those interested in getting this, the one thing I know is that the DVD-box collection was released by Universal Singapore and that’s available at all the good music stores in the republic.
sideswap: how do dying major labels make money nowadays? Raid the archives!
I need this badly–I am starved for old-school Malay-language music..the only thing I want more is ‘Ella 30110’, ‘Ella U.S.A.’ and anything by CATARRH and/or OPPOSITION PARTY (GODZ) trade, anyone…?
Perhaps a little late. I produced this box set in 2009 and it was released in May 2009. I did not have a hand in the remastering. It was done by a Universal contractor in Singapore. Regarding the Malay groups Swallows and Impian Bateks they were on different labels. Swallows on EMI and Impian Bateks on RCA. Further being an English language release they could not have included the Malay language bands. Perhaps there could be separate initiatives for Malay releases. Now EMI have been absorbed by Universal one can only hope they will release the EMI Malay releases of which there is a lot.
Thanks for clearing that up, Joe. Cheers!